Tripping In The Trap essays

Tripping In The Trap essays ...

Rules of Capitalization in Spanish

Rules of Capitalization in Spanish Spanish uses far fewer capital letters than does English. With only two exceptions - Spanish capitalizes Sol and Luna when they refer to the Earths sun and moon, respectively - whenever Spanish capitalizes a word, the corresponding word in English is capitalized. But the opposite is far from true; there are numerous instances where English capitalizes that Spanish does not. What Spanish does capitalize are proper names for people, places, holidays, newspapers, and magazines; abbreviations of personal titles such as Dr. (Dr.), Sr. (Mr.), Sra. (Mrs.), and Srta. (Miss); and the first word in the titles of books, plays, movies, and similar works. Here are the most common cases where English capitalizes that Spanish does not: Calendar Names of the days of the week and months of the year use lower-case letters. Hoy es martes. (Today is Tuesday.) Mà ©xico celebra su independencia el 16 de septiembre. (Mexico celebrates its independence on September 16.) Composition Titles In formal written Spanish, titles of movies, books, plays, and similar works capitalize only the first word and proper nouns. La guerra de las galaxias (Star Wars), Harry Potter y la piedra filosofal (Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone) Note: In informal written Spanish, and on book covers and movie posters, it is not unusual to see such composition titles capitalized as in English. Personal Titles Introductory titles are not capitalized, although common abbreviations of them (such as Sr. for seà ±or, Dr. for doctor, D. for don and Srta. for seà ±orita) are.  ¿Conoces a la seà ±ora Wilson? (Do you know Mrs. Wilson?)  ¿Conoces a la Sra. Wilson? (Do you know Mrs. Wilson?) La reina Victoria fue mi abuela. (Queen Victoria was my grandmother.) Religions Names of religions and their adherents arent capitalized. Mi madre es catà ³lica. (My mother is Catholic.) Estudio el cristianismo. (Im studying Christianity.) Ordinal Numbers When an ordinal number is used after a name, it isnt capitalized. Luis catorce (Luis the Fourteenth), Carlos octavo (Charles the Eighth.) If Roman numerals are used, they are capitalized. Place Names Although the given name of rivers, lakes, mountains and other geographic features are capitalized, the geographical identity is not. No vimos el rà ­o Amazonas. (We didnt see the Amazon River.) Vivimos cerca de la montaà ±a Rainier. (We live near Mount Rainier.) Nationality Although names of countries and cities are capitalized, words derived from them are not. Soy inglà ©s. (Im English.) Prefiero los cocos puertorriqueà ±os. (I prefer the Puerto Rican coconuts.) Languages Names of languages arent capitalized. Hablo inglà ©s. (I speak English.) Quiero estudiar alemn. (I want to study German.) Sample Sentences on Spanish Capitalization Habà ­ negociaciones de paz entre el gobierno del presidente Juan Manuel Santos y las Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia. (There were peace negotiations between the government of Presidente Juan Manual Santos and the Armed Revolutionary Forces of Colombia. The presidents title isnt capitalized, but the formal name of FARC is because it is considered a proper noun.) Los musulmanes catalanes son ms que una comunidad. (Catalonian Muslims are more than a community. References to the geographic origin or religious affiliations of people are not capitalized.) El rà ­o Danubio atraviesa varios paà ­ses de Europa antes de desembocar en el Mar negro. (The Danube River crosses several European countries before emptying into the Black Sea. Only the given names of the river and sea are capitalized.) El rey Lear es una tragedia de Shakespeare. King Lear is a Shakespeare tragedy. (Rey is not capitalized, even though it is part of the play title as well as a personal title.) Herodes murià ³ el aà ±o 4 a. de C. (Herod died in 4 B.C. Only the letter standing for the name of a person is capitalized in this abbreviation. The abbreviation stands for antes de Cristo.) El doctor Romero es un conocido veterinario de Buenos Aires. El Dr. Romero es un conocide veterinario de Buenos Aires. (Dr. Romero is a well-known Buenos Aires veterinarian. His title is capitalized when abbreviated but not otherwise.) Herodes murià ³ el aà ±o 4 a. de C. (Herod died in 4 B.C. Only the letter standing for the name of a person is capitalized in this abbreviation. The abbreviation stands for antes de Cristo.) Las Naciones Unidas es una organizacià ³n internacional formada por 192 paà ­ses independientes. (The United Nations is an international organization formed by 192 independent countries. Names of organizations are capitalized as in English.) El budismo es una religià ³n oriental que tiene muchos creyentes occidentales. (Buddhism is an Eastern religion that has many Western believers. Names of religions are not capitalized, even when named after a person. Neither are geographical words such as oriental unless they refer to a specific entity, such as in Europa Oriental for Eastern Europe.)

What are the factors that influence consumer behavior towards choosing Essay

What are the factors that influence consumer behavior towards choosing mobile phone brands - Essay Example A mobile phone is an electronic device which is used in two way communication. To make use of a mobile phone, connection to a cellular network is required which is an interconnection of base stations through which signals are transmitted, hence the mobile uses those signals to forge and maintain connection. A user using a mobile phone can make or receive telephone calls to and from other cellular networks and also fixed line phones worldwide. Each mobile phone holds a subscription with a cellular network which then connects it to a mobile network operator and thus let’s communication to flow freely. With the influx of countless models of mobiles in the UK market, with minor or significant differences in features, generally they are categorized into two groups. We have feature phones, which are normally characterized as low end mobile phones having less functions, whereas at the other extreme we have Smartphone which are high end phones with sophisticated, computing capabilities. Hence the focus of this report is to discuss a Market Research Study with the aim of providing readers with a comprehensive insight into the factors that influence the consumer behavior when it comes to choosing mobile phones, particularly for UK market. Once the factors have been determined, this report will further shed light on the market research objectives as well as the main purpose and procedure for this proposed market research study. In addition to the aforementioned topics in this report you will also find ample information regarding how to conduct a qualitative and quantitative market research study explaining the finer points in detail. Also a proposed reporting research schedule and timing, fees and credentials will be a part of this report. The report’s prime focus will be on the consumer influences because it is these factors that aid the consumer in making a rational choice when given several alternatives to choose from. The

Prostate Cancer Annotated Bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Prostate Cancer - Annotated Bibliography Example The article goes further to suggest that physical activities are crucial at this point because they improve one’s psychological and physical well being. In addition, a physical activity intervened lifestyle slows or reverses a declined quality of life. This study suggests that no research so far has ever attempted to evaluate an improvement multiple QOL domain intervention in prostate cancer patients under androgen ablation therapy. The study used a randomized control trial design for active life after cancer to evaluate the efficiency of physical activities interventions in the improvement of QOL of patients under this therapy. In addition, a group of lifestyle program of a 6 month behavioral skill training group was compared to a standard care and educational support program. The objective of this study was to present baseline information that would exemplify the QOL of the chosen sample. The findings indicated that married participants were less psychologically distressed a s compared to those who were unmarried. The limitation to the study was that the researchers experienced challenges in recruiting the participants. This study is relevant to the case study presented because Massri needs to perform more physical activities in addition to his golf to improve his health status. He is lucky to be married to Aziza, hence; he is likely to be less psychologically and physically distressed. Hoyt, M.A., Stanton, A.L., Bower, J.E., KaMala S. T., Litwin, M.S., Breen, E.C. & Irwin, M.R. (2013). Inflammatory biomarkers and emotional approach coping in men with prostate cancer. Brain, Behavior and Immunity, 32, 173-179. doi.org/10.1016/j.bbi.2013.04.008 The objective of the above article was to establish whether emotion coping is connected with psychological and physical health outcome improvement. The study was specific to prostate cancer related stressors in comparison with previous research, which was characterized

IT Enters a New Learning Environment Essay Example for Free

IT Enters a New Learning Environment Essay It is most helpful to see useful models of school learning that is ideal to achieving instructional goals through preferred application of educational technology. These are the models of Meaningful Learning, Discovery learning, Generative Learning and Constructivism. Meaningful Learning If the traditional learning environment gives stress focus to rote learning and simple memorization, meaningful learning gives focus to new experience departs from that is related to what the learners already knows. New experience departs from the learning of a sequence of words but attention to meaning. It assumes that: ââ€"  Students already have some knowledge that is relevant to new learning. ââ€"  Students are wiling to perform class work to find connections between what they already know and what they can learn. In the learning process, the learner is encouraged to recognize relevant personal experiences. A reward structure is set so that the learner will have both interest and confidence, and this incentive system sets a positive environment to learning. Facts that are subsequently assimilated are subjected to the learner’s understanding and application. In the classroom, hands-on activities are introduced so as to simulate learning in everyday living. Discovery Learning Discovery learning is differentiated from reception learning in which ideas are presented directly to student in a well-organized way, such as through a detailed set of instructions to complete an experiment task. To make a contrast, in discovery learning student from tasks to uncover what is to be learned. New ideas and new decision are generated in the learning process, regardless of the need to move on and depart from organized setoff activities previously set. In discovery learning, it is important that the student become personally engaged and not subjected by the teacher to procedures he/she is not allowed to depart from. In applying technology, the computer can present a tutorial process by which the learner is presented key concept and the rules of learning in a direct manner for receptive learning. But the computer has other uses rather than delivering tutorials. In a computer simulation process, for example, the learner himself is made to identify key concept by interacting with a responsive virtual environment. Generative Learning In generative learning, we have active learners who attend to learning events and generate meaning from this experience and draw inferences thereby creating a personal model or explanation to the new experience in the context of existing knowledge. Generative learning is viewed as different from the simple process of storing information. Motivation and responsibility are seen to be crucial to this domain of learning. The area of language comprehension offers examples of this type of generative learning activities, such as in writing paragraph summaries, developing answers and questions, drawing pictures, creating paragraph titles, organizing ideas/concepts, and others. In sum, generative learning gives emphasis to what can be done with pieces of information, not only on access to them. Constructivism In constructivism, the learner builds a personal understanding through appropriate learning activities and a good learning environment. The most accepted principles constructivism’s are: ââ€"  Learning consists in what a person can actively assemble for himself and not what he can receive passively. ââ€"  the role of learning is to help the individual live/adapt to his personal world. These two principles in turn lead to three practical implications: ââ€"  the learner is directly responsible for learning. He creates personal understanding and transforms information into knowledge. The teacher plays an indirect role by modeling effective learning, assisting, facilitating and encouraging learners. ââ€"  the context of meaningful learning consists in the learner â€Å"connecting† his school activity with real life. ââ€"  the purpose of education is the acquisition of practical and personal knowledge, not abstract or universal truths. To review, there are common t hemes to these four learning domains. They are given below: Learners ââ€"  are active, purposeful learners. ââ€"  set personal goals and strategies to achieve these goals. ââ€"  make their learning experience meaningful and relevant to their lives. ââ€"  seek to build an understanding of their personal worlds so they can work/live productively. ââ€"  build on what they already know in order to interpret and respond to new experiences. LB#6: IT Enters a New Learning Environment. Effective teachers best interact with students in innovative learning activities, while integrating technology to the teaching-learning process. In Meaningful learning * Students already have some knowledge that is relevant to new learning * Students are willing to perform class work to find connections between what they already know and what they can learn. In Discovery learning Ideas are presented directly to students in a well-organized way, such as through a detailed set of instructions to complete an experiment or task. In applying technology, the computer can preset a tutorial process by which the learner is presented key concepts and the rules of learning in a direct manner for receptive learning. In Generative Learning Active learners who attend to learning events and generate meaning from this experience and draw inferences thereby creating a personal model or explanation to the new experience in the context of existing knowledge.Motivation and responsibility are seen to be crucial to this domain of learning. In Constructivism The learner builders a personal understanding through appropriate learning activities and a good learning environment. Learners: are active, purposeful learners. Set personal goals and strategies to achieve these goals. Make their learning experience meaningful and relevant to their lives. Seek to build an understanding of their personal worlds so they can work/live productively. Build on what they already know in order to interpret and respond to new experiences.

Guillain-Barre Syndrome Essay -- Health Medical Medicine Essays

Guillain-Barre Syndrome Most people do not expect to become paralyzed during the course of their lives. Barring injury to the nervous system or debilitating disease, one does not expect to lose motor function. In spite of these expectations, people of all races, sexes, ages, and classes can be afflicted with a debilitating syndrome that can lead to difficulty in walking or even to temporary paralysis in the most severe cases. This syndrome is known commonly as Guillain-Barre Syndrome, or GBS. GBS is an inflammatory disorder of the peripheral nerves. When the syndrome occurs, the body's peripheral nerves become inflamed and cease to work due to an unknown cause. (1) (3) Around 50% of the cases of GBS appear after a bacterial or viral infection. (1) The syndrome can also appear after surgery or vaccination. GBS can appear hours or days after these incidences or can even take up to three or four weeks to appear. (4) Some theories propose that GBS is caused by a mechanism of the autoimmune system that prompts antibodies and white blood cells to attack the covering and insulation of the nerve cells, which leads to abnormal sensation. GBS is considered a syndrome rather than a disease, because its description is based on a set of symptoms reported by the patient to her doctor. (5) GBS is also known as acute inflammatory demylinating polyneuropathy and Landry's ascending paralysis after Jean B. O. Landry, a French physician who described a disorder that "paralyzed the legs, arms, neck, and breathing muscles of the chest." (4) (1) GBS was named after French physicians Georges Guillain and Jean Alexander Barre who, along with fellow physician Andre Stohl, described the differences of the spinal fluid of those who suffered f... ...undation International, based in Wynnewood, PA. http://www.guillain-barre.com/overview.html 2) Kolata, Gina. Flu: The Story of the Great Influenza Pandemic of 1918 and the Search for the Virus That Caused It. Simon & Schuster: New York. Pgs. 167-185. 3) Guillain-Barrà © Support Group, The homepage for the Guillain-Barre Syndrome Support Group based in the United Kingdom. The organization disseminates information to sufferers of the syndrome and their family and friends. http://www.gbs.org.uk/index2.shtml 4) NINDS Guillain-Barre Information Page, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke information page on GBS. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/gbs/gbs.htm 5) GBS - An Overview For The Layperson, An overview of GBS written by Dr. Joel S. Steinberg, a neurologist that once suffered from GBS. http://members.ozemail.com.au/~guillain/gbs.htm

New World Movie Review

Action, romance, hardships, drama, and suspense; now you’re probably thinking what do these very different qualities have in common. The New World is a dramatic film about the life of the settlers who came to the new world not knowing what to expect and having to deal with the new surroundings and the Native people. You will follow the life of a native girl named Pocahontas who experiences love, loss, and victory. You will be on your edge of your seat due to the action and suspense this movie sets on you. The New World was directed and written by Terrence Malick. The main characters in the film are Colin Farrell who played John Smith, Q’orianka Kilcher who played Pocahontas, and Christopher Plummer. This movie was made in 2005. This movie is about settlers from England coming to the New World to start colonies. It is the story of how they made it and what different hardships they had to overcome in order to survive in this new world. Throughout the movie you see how the natives interact with the colonists and how Pocahontas falls in love with Captain John Smith. In this movie settlers come from England to start over and discover new land. When they arrived they don’t know what to expect of the land or of the natives that live there. Knowing ahead of time that there were going to be natives living there they made sure to take precaution because they did not know what to expect of them. Throughout the movie you see the interactions between the natives and the settlers and often times it became very violent due to the settlers driving the native people out of their land. Pocahontas, the chiefs most loved daughter helps out settlers brings them food and teaches them how to grow crops to make money and to help them survive. The movie tells the story of the things that people discovered, how Pocahontas falls in love with John Smith and how the tables turn and how the outcome of their love might not be what you expected. In this movie the thing that caught my eye the most was the music and how just something so simple like the sound of wind or trees blowing can cause or change the overall feel of a scene. For example whenever you were in a scene with the Indians there was always this peaceful music that gave the Indians the audience the feeling of being at peace with them. In many scenes with Pocahontas when she is in the fields this peaceful music will play and it creates a very serein feel. This is a great movie and I recommend it to veryone who has a chance to see it. In my opinion the people who will like this movie will mainly be young adults because of the action and romance. During this whole movie I learned a lot about the not only the story of Jamestown but how to create different effects on people through film making. I personal liked the movie a lot because of romance between John Smith and Pocahontas and John Rolf and Pocahontas. Overall I recommend this movie to anyone who is in for a ro mance with some action involved! Short Biography:

The Theory of the Contestable Market

The theory of contestable markets, along with the static and dynamic views of competition, are used as theories to analyse how markets perform. The static view focuses on the structure of the market as the determining factor of competition, with the dynamic view focusing on dynamic aspects such as technology and entrepreneurship. The contestable markets theory has a different focus, focusing on the importance of barriers to entry and exit. Nonetheless it does incorporate features from both views.More importantly it shifts the focus and provides new insight into the workings of competition. The two differing views of competition will be examined, followed by an examination of the contestable market theory, concluding with an analysis of the degree to which there is synthesis. Static view of competition The static view of competition focuses on the market structure as the key determining factor in the performance and behaviour of firms. It is the neoclassical approach of competition, o rigination from the work of economist’s Cournot and Edgeworth.This traditional view sees market structure as rigidly determining firm's conduct (its output decisions and pricing behaviour), which yields an industry's overall performance, such as its efficiency and profitability. Firms limit their behaviour to a certain industry model or strategic logic that is built on frequent price cuts, in order to out-compete rivals and deter entry. An industry is considered competitive depending on its market structure. At one extreme is perfect competition, which is considered perfectly competitive. At the other extreme is a monopoly structure, with a sole producer, characterised by low competition.In between the spectrum is an oligopolistic structure, and a monopolistic structure. These structures embody less competition than in perfect competition, but more than in a monopoly situation. The characteristics of competitive markets are thus large number of firms, or in other words a low concentration ratio. The number of firms is determined by the market demand and the output level set at that which minimises average cost. As the number of firms that enter the industry increases, firms become price takers rather than price makers, and they are forced to apply the price that is set in order to survive in the market.They thus receive normal profits, as opposed to abnormal profits when the market structure was more concentrated (please refer to figure 1 below). Fig 1 Thus the organisation of industries is considered to be generated exogenously. Therefore the market concentration decides the nature of competition within each market. The static view of competition thus concentrates on the structural characteristics of competition, with a ‘structure-conduct-performance’ based paradigm, in which market structure decided conduct of firms, deciding their performance.The static competition approach excludes non-price competition, such as quality and product diff erentiation, and strategic behaviour which does occur. This view of competition has been criticised for ignoring the more dynamic methodology of competition, which will now be analysed. Due to the importance of market share in the static view of competition, the resultant policy implication calls for regulation of markets, in order to ensure low marker concentration, in order to move towards perfect competition, and its associated benefits. (Schwartz 1986). Dynamic view of competitionThe dynamic view of competition revolves around the role of the entrepreneur and firms using innovation to compete with their rivals. The neo-Austrian school of thought, in particular, Schumpeter, and those economists influenced by it have been redefining the concept along classical lines, although with a much greater emphasis on the entrepreneurial role, the role of discovery, and rivalrous competition. Performance in industries is argued to be characterized by dynamic competition, expressed through in novation and variation rather than through efficiency and price reductions, which is the case in the static approach.This view portrays competition as a process of change and evolution rather than a static state in which equilibrium will be reached. Hayek, a main architect of this approach, defines competition as a dynamic behavioural activity. Central to this activity is knowledge, how it is acquired and communicated through the economy. He criticises the neoclassical assumption of perfect knowledge, with the view that costs are not a given, and so not exogenous. Competition is a process of interaction with the environment, in which innovation, such as new methods of production and new products, are a response to the unique situation of the economy.It results in the optimal use of resources. (Auerbach 1988) Alchian believes that there is a natural selection process which results in a competitive outcome. Such competition depends not only on the physical possibilities but also the a bilities and attitudes of participants, the entrepreneurs and consumers. It therefore argues for property rights, as to increase the level of competition, forcing companies to undergo research and development and to innovate, in order to survive.For competition to be improved and sustained there needs to be a genuine desire on behalf of entrepreneurs to engage in competitive behaviour, to innovate and to invent to drive markets forward and create what Schumpeter famously called the â€Å"gales of creative destruction†. (Vickers, 1995, pp15). In the classic dynamic view, it argues that there is a tendency for rates of return to equalise, due to profit seeking behaviour, and the movement of capital from low profit areas to that of higher profit areas. However equilibrium may never be reached.Before the tendency for equalisation, the economy may have changed, such as the structure of demand, or the available technology, and products may have evolved. The general criticism of the dynamic view of competition is that is lacks the simplicity and decisiveness than the static view of competition. The policy implications of the dynamic view of competition is less concerned with regulation of markets, instead encouraging property rights in order to allow firms to benefit from their own research and development, allowing for technological advancement, and the ensuing competition.Theory of the contestable market The theory of contestable markets describes how competition will exist in any market if there are no barriers to entry and exit, as firms will be forced to act competitively in fear of new firms entering the market. The contestable markets approach to competition represents an alternative to the neo-classical theory of the firm. It came to prominence in the early 1980s, largely through the work of the American economist Baumol. The threat posed by the possibility of new firms entering the market is taken to be a key determinant of the behaviour of existing f irms.Accordingly, barriers to entry and exit play a crucial role. Its fundamental feature is low barriers to entry and exit; a perfectly contestable market would have no barriers to entry or exit. This means no sunk costs. Sunk costs will be low where the firm can sell or in other ways dispose of its capital equipment without cost. For example, a new airline might lease aircraft rather than purchase them and can then leave the industry at the end of the lease period without the costs of having to sell its aircraft.Contestable markets are characterized by ‘hit and run' entry, whereby if a firm in a market with no entry or exit barriers raises its prices above average cost and begins to earn abnormal profits, potential rivals will enter the market to take advantage of these profits. When the incumbent firms respond by returning prices to levels consistent with normal profits the new firms will exit. In this manner even a monopoly market can show highly competitive behaviour (suc h as in perfect competition), as it fears potential competition.Such optimal behaviour applies to the full range of industry structures. Natural monopolies are of course not included in such a theory, as by its nature barriers to entry and exit exist. In this view of competition, the direction of causation between the market structure and competition is reversed from that of the static view. The theory of contestable markets sees contestability as influencing the performance and conduct of firms, and thus deciding on the resultant market structure.Perfect contestability would lead to firms earning normal profit, embodying cost-minimisation behaviour, resulting in a cost-minimisation structure (P=MC= AC), whatever the actual form of the market structure. Thus, the market structure is determined by the price and output decisions, or the behaviour, of firms. In a perfectly contestable market, there would exist profit equalisation across firms and industries, such as in perfect competit ion, even under market imperfections, such as a concentrated structure. Under a contestable market there would be maximisation of consumer welfare due to cost and price minimising.Contestable markets would also result in optimal firm sizes (economies of scale), product-mix (economies of scope) and industrial organisation (dynamic efficiency). Compared to the static view of competition, the contestable market views is not so much competition within the market, but competition for the market. Attention has been shifted away from actual competition to potential competition. Critics of this theory includes the argument that perfectly contestable markets are rare, and thus should only be applied to specific cases.It is true that perfect contestability is an extreme, and should be viewed as a benchmark rather than the norm, but the same applies to perfect competition in the static view of competition. (Schwartz 1986). More empirical research is needed on the extent of free entry and exit. Criticism has also been placed upon the reaction time of incumbents as new firms enter the market, which is also a hotly debated subject. Contradicting assumptions of ultra-free entry and the response of firms is another criticised aspect of the theory. (Shepherd, 1984, pp585)In terms of policy implications, the theory suggests that competition policy should be as much concerned with the levels of barriers to entry and exit in a market as with existing levels of competition. Synthesis? There is much debate as to whether contestable market theory is a synthesis of the static and dynamic views of competition. Some observers comment that the theory may even be an uprising from the traditional theories (Baumol, 1982), and to the other extreme where it is a mere extension of the traditional theories of competition.The theory of contestable markets incorporates important concepts from the static view of competition. The relationship between market structure and competition is a major fac tor in contestable market theory as it is in the static view, however in the former, as stated earlier, the causation is reversed. So the relationship is still key, albeit with market structure being dependent upon its firm’s behaviour. Furthermore, barriers to entry and exit, which are important in the static view in terms of its negative effects in allowing incumbents to earn economic rent, are of prime importance in the new theory.Although the new theory turns it on its head and focuses on the positive effects of removing barriers, and the resultant competition that comes with it. Barriers are thus significant market determinants. Thus for some contestable market theory provides a static equilibrium theory of industry structure which is generally more applicable than before. The theory also points towards some dynamic interpretation of markets. Firms are able to enter on an ongoing basis, constraining market behaviour of incumbents.The degree of contestability of a market can change over time with technology, regulatory breakdown, or changes in other barriers altering the entry and exit conditions. An incumbent pricing optimally can protect them self against new entrants using the same technology, but can’t protect against innovation or technological advancements. Furthermore, the threat of competition should lead to a faster rate of technological diffusion, as firms have to be particularly responsive to the changing needs of consumers. Thus dynamic aspects of competition are also important in the new theory.Baumol et al have argued the contestable theory as a new general system to replace the original static and dynamic views of competition. However their analysis should only be treated as a specialised, extreme set of conditions, which are unlikely to be found in reality, due to rigid assumptions of contestability theory. Some have even argued that little has been added to the pre-existing entry and exit analysis. (Shepherd, 1984). Conclusio n Contestable market theory is an attempt to impose a dynamic mechanism upon a static equilibrium analysis, thus providing new and valuable insights into competition theory.It offers a host of new analytical methods, new tasks for empirical research, and new results. It allows the reconsideration of the domain of the invisible hand, yields contributions to the theory of oligopoly, provides a standard for policy that is far broader and more widely applicable than that of perfect competition, and leads to a theory that analyses the determination of industry structure endogenously and simultaneously with the analysis of the other variables more traditionally treated in the theory of the firm and the industry.It aspires to provide a unifying theory as a foundation for the analysis of competition. The theory manages to blends in some aspects from both the static and dynamic analyses of competition, however shouldn’t be seen as an overarching theory. It embodies a different focus t o the two traditional views of competition, as already mentioned. It should be applied to unique situations, on which the assumptions of the theory are built. The new theory provides for a new dilemma rather than the final solution.

Memorable Quotes from Camus The Plague

Memorable Quotes from Camus The Plague The Plague is a famous allegorical novel by Albert Camus, whos known for his existential works. The book was published in 1947 and is considered one of the most important works by Camus. Here are some memorable quotes from the novel. From Part 1 The truth is that everyone is bored, and devotes himself to cultivating habits. Our citizens work hard, but solely with the object of getting rich. Their chief interest is commerce, and their chief aim in life is, as they call it, doing business.You must picture the consternation of our little town, hitherto so tranquil, and now, out of the blue, shaken to its core, like a quite healthy man who all of a sudden feels his temperature shoot up and the blood seething like wildfire in his veins.8,000 rats had been collected, a wave of something like panic swept the town.I cant say I really know him, but ones got to help a neighbor, hasnt one?Rats died in the street; men in their homes. And newspapers are concerned only with the street.Everybody knows that pestilences have a way of recurring in the world; yet somehow we find it hard to believe in ones that crash down on our heads from a blue sky. There have been as many plagues as wars in history;  yet always plagues and wars take people equally by surprise. We tell ourselves that pestilence is a mere bogy of the mind, a bad dream that will pass away. But it doesnt always pass away and, from one bad dream to another, it is men who pass away.They fancied themselves free, and no one will ever be free so long as there are pestilences.He knew quite well that it was plague and, needless to say, he also knew that, were this to be officially admitted, the authorities would be compelled to take very drastic steps. This was, of course, the explanation of his colleagues reluctance to face the facts. From Part 2 From now on it can be said that plague was the concern of all of us.Thus, for example, a feeling normally as individual as the ache of separation from those one loves suddenly became a feeling in which all shared alike and- together with fear- the greatest affliction of the long period of exile that lay ahead.Thus, too, they came to know the incorrigible sorrow of all prisoners and exiles, which is to live in company with a memory that serves no purpose.Hostile to the past, impatient of the present, and cheated of the future, we were much like those whom mens justice, or hatred, forces to live behind prison bars.The plague was posting sentries at the gates and turning away ships bound for Oran.The public lacked, in short, standards of comparison. It was only as time passed and the steady rise in the death-rate could not be ignored, that public opinion became alive to the truth.You cant understand. Youre using the language of reason, not of the heart; you live in a world of abstractio ns. Many continued hoping that the epidemic would soon die out and they and their families be spared. Thus they felt under no obligation to make any change in their habits, as yet. Plague was an unwelcome visitant, bound to take its leave one day as unexpectedly as it had come.To some the sermon simply brought home the fact that they had been sentenced, for an unknown crime, to an indeterminate period of punishment. And while a good many people adapted themselves to confinement and carried on their humdrum lives as before, there were others who rebelled and whose one idea now was to break loose from the prison-house.I can understand this sort of fervor and find it not displeasing. At the beginning of a pestilence and when it ends, theres always a propensity for rhetoric. In the first case, habits have not yet been lost; in the second, theyre returning. It is in the thick of a calamity that one gets hardened to the truth- in other words, to silence.Death means nothing to men like me. Its the event that proves them right. Whats true of all the evils in the world is true of the plague as well. It helps men to rise above themselves. All the same, when you see the misery it brings, youd need to be a madman, or a coward, or stone blind, to give in tamely to the plague.Paneloux is a man of learning, a scholar. He hasnt come in contact with death; thats why he can speak with such assurance of the truth- with a capital T. But every country priest who visits his parishioners and has heard a man gasping for breath on his deathbed thinks as I do. Hed try to relieve human suffering before trying to point out its goodness.Tarrou nodded. Yes. But your victories will never be lasting; thats all. Rieuxs face darkened. Yes, I know that. But its no reason for giving up the struggle.There comes a time in history when the man who dares to say that two and two do make four is punished with death.Many fledgling moralists in those days were going about our town proclaiming there was nothing to be done about it and we shoul d bow to the inevitable. And Tarrou, Rieux, and their friends might give one answer or another, but its conclusion was always the same, their certitude that a fight must be put up, in this way or that, and there must be no bowing down. Invariably their epical or prize-speech verbiage jarred on the doctor. Needless to say, he knew the sympathy was genuine enough. But it could be expressed only in the conventional language with which men try to express what unites them with mankind in general; a vocabulary quite unsuited, for example, to Grands small daily effort.All this time hed practically forgotten the woman he loved, so absorbed had he been in trying to find a rift in the walls that cut him off from her. But at this same moment, now that once more all ways of escape were sealed against him, he felt his longing for her blaze up again.Ive seen enough people who die for an idea. I dont believe in heroism; I know its easy and Ive  learnt  it can be murderous. What interests me is living and dying for what one loves.Theres no question of heroism in all this. Its a matter of common decency. Thats an idea which may make some people smile, but the only means of fighting a plague is- common decency. From Part 3 No longer were  there  individual destinies; only a collective destiny, made of plague and emotions shared by all.By the force of things, this last remnant of decorum went by the board, and men and women were flung into the death-pits indiscriminately.  Happily,  this ultimate indignity synchronized with the plagues last ravages.So long as the epidemic lasted, there was never any lack of men for these duties. The critical moment came just before the outbreak touched high-water mark, and the doctor had  good  reason for felling anxious. There was then a real shortage of man-power both for the higher posts and for the rough work.The truth is that nothing is less sensational than pestilence, and by reason of their very duration great misfortunes are monotonous.But, really, they were asleep already; this whole period was, for them, no more than a long nights slumber.The habit of despair is worse than despair itself.Evening after evening gave its truest,  mournfulest  expr ession to the blind endurance that had outlasted love from all our hearts. From Part 4 The one way of making people hang together is to give em a spell of the plague.Until now I always felt a stranger in this town, and that Id no concern with you people. But now that Ive seen what I have seen, I know that I belong here whether I want it or not. This business is everybodys business.No, Father.  Ive  a very different idea of love. And until my dying  day  I shall refuse to love a scheme of things in which children are put to torture.No, we should go forward, groping our way through the darkness, stumbling perhaps at times, and try to do what good lay in our power. As for the rest, we must hold fast, trusting in the divine goodness, even as to the deaths of little children, and not seeking personal respite.Nobody is capable of really thinking about anyone, even in the worst calamity.We cant stir a finger in this world without the risk of bringing death to somebody. Yes, Ive been ashamed ever since; I have realized that we all have  plague, and I have lost my pea ce. Whats natural is the microbe. All the rest- health, integrity, purity (if you like)- is a product of the human will, of a vigilance that must never falter. The good man, the man who infects hardly anyone, is the man who has the fewest lapses of attention.Can one be a saint without God? Thats the problem, in  fact  the only problem, Im up against today. From Part 5 Its energy was flagging, out of exhaustion and exasperation, and it was losing, with its self-command, the ruthless, almost mathematical efficiency that had been its trump-card hitherto.Once the faintest stirring of hope became possible, the dominion of the plague was ended.Our strategy had not changed, but whereas yesterday it had obviously failed, today it seemed triumphant. Indeed, ones chief impression was that the epidemic had called a retreat after reaching all its objectives; it had, so to speak, achieved its purpose.Yes, hed make a fresh start, once the period of abstractions was over.It was as if the pestilence, hounded away by cold, the street-lamps and the crowd, had fled from the depths of the town.So all a man could win in the conflict between plague and life was knowledge and memories.Once plague had shut the gates of the town, they had settled down to a life of separation, debarred from the living warmth that gives forgetfulness of all.If there is one thing one can alw ays yearn for and sometimes attain, it is human love. What we learn in time of pestilence: that there are more things to admire in men than to despise.He knew that the tale he had to tell could not be one of final victory. It could be only the record of what had to be done, and what assuredly would have to be done again in the never-ending fight against terror and its relentless onslaughts.

How Bugs Find Their Way Into Your Food

How Bugs Find Their Way Into Your Food Entomophagy, the practice of eating insects, has been getting a lot of media attention in recent years. Conservationists promote it as a solution to feeding an exploding global population. Insects, after all, are a high protein food source and dont impact the planet in ways that animals higher up the food chain do. Of course, news stories about insects as food tend to focus on the ick factor. While grubs and caterpillars are diet staples in many parts of the world, U.S. audiences tend to get squeamish at the thought of eating bugs. Well, heres some  news for you. You eat bugs. Every day. Even if youre vegetarian, you cant avoid consuming insects if you eat anything that has been processed, packaged, canned, or prepared. You are, without a doubt, getting a bit of bug protein in your diet. In some cases, the bug bits are intentional ingredients, and in some cases, theyre just by-products of the way we harvest and package our food. Red Food Coloring When the FDA changed food-labeling requirements in 2009, many consumers were startled to learn that manufacturers put crushed bugs in their food products for color. Outrageous! Cochineal extract, which comes from a scale insect, has been used as a red dye or coloring for centuries. Cochineal bugs (Dactylopius coccus) are true bugs belonging to the order Hemiptera. These tiny insects make a living by sucking the sap from cactus. To defend themselves, cochineal bugs produce carminic acid, a foul-tasting, bright red substance that makes predators think twice about eating them. The Aztecs used crushed cochineal bugs to dye fabrics a brilliant crimson. Today, cochineal extract is used as a natural coloring in many foods and drinks. Farmers in Peru and the Canary Islands produce most of the worlds supply, and its an important industry that supports workers in otherwise impoverished areas. And there are certainly worse things that manufacturers could use to color their products. To find out if a product contains cochineal bugs, look for any of the following ingredients on the label: cochineal extract, cochineal, carmine, carminic acid, or Natural Red No. 4. Confectioners Glaze If youre a vegetarian with a sweet tooth, you might be shocked to learn that many candy and chocolate products are made with bugs, too. Everything from jelly beans to milk duds is coated in something called confectioners glaze.   And confectioners glaze comes from bugs. The Lac bug, Laccifer lacca, inhabits tropical and subtropical regions. Like the cochineal bug, the Lac bug is a scale insect (order Hemiptera). It lives as a parasite on plants, particularly banyan trees. The Lac bug uses special glands to excrete a waxy, waterproof coating for protection. Unfortunately for the Lac bug, people figured out long ago that these waxy secretions are also useful for waterproofing other things, like furniture. Ever heard of shellac? Lac bugs are big business in India and Thailand, where they are cultivated for their waxy coatings. Workers scrape the Lac bugs glandular secretions from the host plants, and in the process, some of the Lac bugs get scraped off, too. The waxy bits are typically exported in flake form, called sticklac or gum lac, or sometimes just shellac flakes. Gum lac is used in all kinds of products: waxes, adhesives, paints, cosmetics, varnishes, fertilizers, and more. Lac bug secretions also make their way into medicines, usually as a coating that makes pills easy to swallow. Food manufacturers seem to know that putting shellac on an ingredient list might alarm some consumers, so they often use other, less industrial-sounding names to identify it on food labels. Look for any of the following ingredients on labels to find the hidden Lac bugs in your food: candy glaze, resin glaze, natural food glaze, confectioners glaze, confectioners resin, Lac resin, Lacca, or gum lac. Fig Wasps And then, of course, there are the fig wasps. If youve ever eaten Fig Newtons, or dried figs, or anything containing dried figs, youve no doubt eaten a fig wasp or two as well. Figs require pollination by a tiny female fig wasp. The fig wasp sometimes becomes entrapped within the fig fruit (which is technically not a fruit, its an inflorescence called the syconia), and becomes part of your meal. Insect Parts Honestly, theres no way to pick, package, or produce food without getting a few bugs in the mix. Insects are everywhere. The Food and Drug Administration recognized this reality, and issued regulations concerning how many bug bits are allowable in food items before they become a health concern. Known as the Food Defect Action Levels, these guidelines determine how many insect eggs, body parts, or whole insect bodies can get by the inspectors before being flagged in a given product. So, truth be told, even the most squeamish among us eats bugs, like it or not. Sources: The Truth About Red Food Dye Made From Bugs, LiveScience, April 27, 2012. Accessed online November 26, 2013.Scientists Make Red Food Dye from Potatoes, Not Bugs, National Geographic, September 19, 2013. Accessed online November 26, 2013.Calimyrna Figs in California, Wayne P. Armstrong, Palomar College. Accessed online November 26, 2013.Humans as Fig Eaters, FigWeb, Iziko Museums of South Africa. Accessed online November 26, 2013.Laccifer Lacca, Gwen Pearson (Bug Girls Blog), February 14, 2011. Accessed online November 26, 2013.Q A on Shellac, the Vegetarian Resource Group blog, November 30, 2010. Accessed online November 26, 2013.

Walmart recruitment Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Walmart recruitment - Research Paper Example The recruitment and selection process should not be biased on the basis of age, gender, sex, religion and heredity among others. Biased recruitment leads to inefficient leaders which often create chaos in the whole organization. Similarly, the retrenchment process must be based on sound ground. The hiring of the new employees must be steadfast. Recruitment should be done only after careful consideration. Any wrong recruitment will lead to the organization’s downfall in the long run. Any recruitment process should be carried out only when the firm anticipates the need of additional labor. Careful Human Resources (HR) planning considers the complete organizational growth. Recruitment process begins only after the elimination of all the alternatives (Cooper, Robertson, and Tinline 6-10). With these considerations, the paper intends to evaluate the recruitment process at Wal-Mart, one of the globally leading retailers. Moreover, the way in which the organization can improve its re cruitment practices with the aid of best HRM practices will also be evaluated. OVERVIEW OF THE COMPANY Sam Walton bought a store from Luther E. Harrison in Bentonville, Arkansas, and started Walton's 5 & 10. In 1962, Sam Walton financed 95% of the capital to start the first Wal-Mart store. Wal-Mart has 4100 stores in the United States and 3100 in 27 other countries across the world. In accordance with the present day context, it is ascertained that Wal-Mart’s sales were US$374 billion in 2008 which is somewhat low than Denmark’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This signifies the enormity of the extent of dominance of the company in the global platform (Guardian News and Media Limited or its Affiliated Companies, â€Å"It All Began in a Small Store in Arkansas†). Wal-Mart has always remained committed to one mission that is helping â€Å"save people money so they can live better† (Minimum Theme on Genesis Framework, â€Å"A Brief History of Wal-Mart†) . Sam Walton is that retailer who always managed to get bargain from its wholesalers. Sam Walton thought that he could do better by passing his savings to his customers and this unique business strategy facilitated him to become one of the largest and powerful retail industries in the world with a competitive advantage (Minimum Theme on Genesis Framework, â€Å"A Brief History of Wal-Mart†). There are three basic competitive strategies for any company, (1) competitive strategy (2) differentiation strategy and (3) focus strategy. Every organization uses these strategies to gain competitive advantage. Wal-Mart takes the cost leadership strategy to gain a competitive advantage over their adversaries (Thomson Reuters. â€Å"Wal-Mart Stores Inc.†). RECRUITMENT PROCESS OF WAL-MART The recruitment process of Wal-Mart starts by offering online application to the interested candidates. There is no other option apart from online application. One more alternative is to go to the store and hire the information kiosk. The next step starts with the assessment test where the presence of mind and problem solving capability of a person is examined. The test consists of a number of question where one has to select choices extending from strongly agree to strongly disagree. It is advisable to choose either strongly agree or strongly disagree and nothing in the middle because the main motive is to check the strong decision making capability in the

Willa Seidon at Tides Center Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Willa Seidon at Tides Center - Essay Example while the recession is highlighted by increased competition, low market share and financial constraints and instability. Even in these circumstances the organization needs to survive through its strategies. Often different strategies are adopted for survival which requires organizational restructuring and change management. A visionary leader, with clarity in ideas about how to proceed and effective change implementation is required at this stage. Leadership: Leadership is a subjective concept. There is no particular definition of leadership; there are as many definitions of leadership as the number of people who tried researching on the vast subject. Leadership is a social process embedded in the minds of leaders of followers. Great leaders help us see the current situation and see a brighter future through the dark times. They see new opportunities and combine every one to work for a common goal, during which they make critical decisions to set a direction to proceed. Some research ers view leadership as power relation by which they can affect and introduce change in people. Some view it as transformational process by which the followers are able to achieve more than what is expected from them. While some scholars view it as skills perspective where they argue certain skills and knowledge are required to be effective leaders. (Northouse, Peter.G. 2009 ; Gallos, Joan.V. 2008; Koestenbaum, Peter. 2002) The arguments about leaders are born or made is a never ending debate. Many researchers say it could be both. A natural ability to lead is important and found in every leader. On the other hand various workshops and courses are conducted on effective leadership programs. Therefore leaders possess natural ability and skill to lead which can be further polished and converted into more effective leadership. (Lussier, Robert. N, Achua, Christopher. F. 2009; Avolio, Bruce J. 2005) Effective leaders motivate and inspire followers; they have the skills to take out the be st from people. Leadership is exercised on group of people and teams, usually with the aim to make them achieve one common goal rather individual goals. Successful leaders need to understand tasks, people and processes in the organization. They must attend the current situation work through them to identify future possibilities, provide a vision and strategies to fulfill that vision and related missions, create a learning organization where people’s development and growth is paramount of importance and direct their minds in strategizing and initiate collaboration among different sections, departments and processes in the organization. The function of management and the function of leadership are often confused together. Management provides order and consistency to the organization and works for order and stability while leadership initiates change and improvement and seeks adaptive and constructive changes. Leadership is all about establishing direction- setting vision, missi on, strategies and goals, aligning people- bring clarity in goals, seek commitment and built team work and last but not the least motivating and inspiring- by empowering and satisfying development needs. (Northouse, Peter.G. 2009 ; Gallos, Joan.V. 2008) Like many great leaders, Willa Seldon is one of the inspiring leaders who helped Tides Centre and guided them through the difficult times. With her vision and ability to manage effective change she led Tides Centre (TC). She was appointed as a Chief Executive Director in September 2003, when Tides applied for the ‘seed grant’ of $ 1 million was offered by Kellog Foundation. During that time TC and the entire fiscal sponsorship sector was struggling for financial